Bachy Soletanche starts on Milton Court tower

Specialist geotechnical contractor Bachy Soletanche this month started work on its first tower project of the year, and first multi-storey residential tower order received in the last two years

Bachy Soletanche is working with main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine for Heron Land Developments, alongside the client’s engineer, WSP. The large diameter city piling contract for the 36 storey Milton Court project near The Barbican in the City of London, is expected to last for eight weeks and is worth an estimated £1M.

Continuous flight auger (CFA) up to 3750kN and large diameter auger (LDA) test piles up to 6000kN will be used to verify the design for the bearing piles for the two city offices.

“The majority of our larger projects during 2010 have been in the north so it will be nice to get back into the city.”

Paul Hodgson, Bachy Soletanche

The 65m long secant wall will then be constructed on the north side using 900mm diameter CFA piles and 880mm/760mm diameter CFA/LDA piles on the east side to facilitate the completion of the basement.

Bachy Soletanche business development manager Paul Hodgson said: “This is our first order for residential towers in London for two years – the majority of our larger projects during the first half of 2010 have been in the north so it will be nice to get back into the city.

“The variety of CFA rigs we have available made us the ideal candidate for the job and I look forward to seeing the project progress over the next few months.”

124, 750mm and 900mm diameter CFA bearing piles, up to 28m deep, and 103, 900mm and 105 LDA bearing piles, up to 30.5m deep, will be installed.

Noise levels will be closely monitored by Arup Acoustics to ensure it stays at a level below 75dB. The CM700 CFA rig and BG22 LDA rigs are being used for the piles, work also includes the setting out and getting rid of 5,000m3 of excavated soils. The insitu soils are 5m of made ground, on 26m of London Clay overlaying the Lambeth Group.

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